If you want to see "the cool stuff" we do at the European Space Agency (ESA), the European Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) in the Netherlands is where you will have to go! Whereas the headquarters where I work mostly consists of office spaces and meeting rooms, this place is packed with fascinating equipment ranging from vacuum chambers to test satellites in space-like conditions to test-beds for rovers and other space-related technologies.
Last year, I went there twice to attend a series of strategy workshops on how the Agency can learn from, and adapt to, new technology megatrends. I, of course, could not help but take a number of pictures and thought it would be nice to do a post to share some of the ones that I liked. First, you may want to know a few facts about the place.
Aerial view of ESTEC, the European Space Research and Technology Centre
image credit ESA source
ESTEC is by far the largest ESA centre hosting over 2000 ESA staff, contractors and research fellows. This is where most European space missions are planned, developed, tested and prepared for their respective missions. So if you are a technology provider involved in the European Space sector, whether it be components for satellites, launch vehicles, research instruments for the ISS, etc, chances are high that you'll visit ESTEC at some point.
Arriving at the entrance to ESTEC where you'll either need to register your visit or show your badge
Picture taken by me in front of the entrance to ESTEC
As ESA works closely with industry partners and works predominantly as planner, coordinator, and tester, there are continuously people visiting ESTEC to take part in meetings or to overlook different tests. With more than 600 companies providing parts and services only to the launcher division of ESA, ESTEC is a busy place with new visitors coming daily to discuss contracts, progress on programs and other business. Luckily for me, there was no need to enter the long queue at the entrance as the ESA badge from the HQ in Paris is accepted also here!
Picture as I walked from the entrance and over the building where our workshop was hosted
Once inside and just passed some of the flags you could see in the image above, I could not help but take another photo of the Norwegian flag as well as the model of a satellite kept outside as decoration! As much as I would have loved to take a sharp left and go to the test centre where the cool things are, I was visiting to participate in a strategy workshop held in the red building seen on the bottom right of the image further above detailing the ESTEC area.
But as you will see, the room we used is still pretty epic ;)
Picture I took of our workshop at ESTEC
The facilities used for the strategy meeting could not have been any better when it comes to giving inspiration! It was quite special to sit at a table and have a scaled down model of the International Space Station hanging down from the ceiling right above my head. The entire room is also filled with retrieved space hardware and models used for exhibitions.
A model of a Mars landing capsule used for the attempted landing of the Schiaparelli Lander with a stretched out parachute!
You would almost have to be excused for getting distracted away from the powerpoint slides to instead look at the surroundings! The lander you see next to the pulpit is a model of the one that crashed when it attempted to land Schiaparelli on the red planet back in 2016. For more information, you may want to read ESA's conclusions on their own website here.
@steemSTEM logo on my laptop during the ESA strategy workshop, in the background, is a full-size module of the International Space Station
Me peeking inside the Space Station module after the workshop had ended
Before taking another selfie in front of a large printed image taken by a satellite, perhaps one to add to my beautiful images of our planet series?
Another late meeting taking place at the same time as ours, doubt they had as delicious refreshments though!
On one of the walls was a screen showing a live tracking of the International Space Station
Anyone of you interested in tracking the ISS can actually do it yourself here. Many amateur astronomers have captured images of the ISS when its position relative to themselves and the sun allows them to catch a glimpse of it as it passes over their heads. With an average speed of approximately 27500 km/h, you'll have to be very quick though if you want to take an image!
Test lab for autonomous rovers at ESTEC
The coolest part that I got to see during my short visit was the Automation and Robotics Laboratory. Here, programmes that are to be used on rovers and other robotics are tested in different environments. What does the rover do if a wheel gets stuck in the sand? Can it be programmed to better predict when this is about to happen and if so, what are the best response countermeasures to execute to avoid getting stuck? Or how should it react to eventually getting stuck? Also, how can it autonomously detect rocks and other formations that are interesting to study, and how will it then approach it to carry out an experiment?
Images of a retrieved BIOPAN capsule
Some relics of the past are also kept here for display. One example is this retrieved BIOPAN capsule, a programme that began in the early 90s and continued into the millennium. The capsule contained numerous science experiments that were carried out in microgravity before the whole capsule was returned to Earth. In total, six different missions were carried out with the capsule, carrying different science experiments with each launch and return.
It would be really cool to arrange a steem meetup here someday. When the date is set for the next Open Day event, most likely to happen in October, I will look into whether we could have an event here and perhaps have a friend or colleague also give a short tour of the test labs that are otherwise closed for the public. Time will tell :).
Anyways, those were some of the images I took during the two days I was there I hope you enjoyed them!
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As always, take care and steem on!
This is an epic work space! Kinda jealous, though i would have no way of knowing what to do there. Just being around all of that cool stuff would be amazing though.
The thing that amazes me the most currently is Space X' landing system. I still don't really believe that when i see the videos.
Just read an article earlier about ISS being shut down at one point. Where do you think we'll go from here? A permanent base on the moon perhaps?
Cheers man :D
Yes, I believe a lunar village is the logical next step. I'll probably have to do another post or two to outline why I think that makes sense strategically and also mapping the actors likely to make it happen.
Exciting times to be alive that's for sure :)
Sorry, i had Iron Sky in my mind when you mentioned actors xD
I think there would be a lot of private actors, and it would be interesting to see how both China and India would get involved.
I would surely like to read that article, especially if you can explain how we could use it as a station for further space travel :)
That was awesome! Thanks for sharing your pics. And I just discovered this is in the Netherlands. I'm close, so I'll have to visit someday.
Only glad to be able to share this :)
I was there! It's so awesome to be surrounded by so many space enthusiasts and their families, talking to the actual people who work on the missions. So much enthusiasm and curiosity, it's heaven for me. I hope that one day they will make it a biannual event, but I understand how difficult some of the logistics are. Keep up the great work ESA and friends
Thank you for a superb comment! :)
Yes, it is one place you simply have to go once if you are in Europe and you love space. So much European talent comes together there from around the continent to push the boundaries of what we can achieve as a species. It is really a pleasure and honor to be a part of it, although only a small one.
The post is really awesome mate! it is really nice read something like this, especially if you like all about space tech, thanks for this man! i hope you can keep writing post like this.
Thanks!
Yes I sure will keep it up :)
Awesome post! I'd also like to congratulate you guys on the Rosetta Mission, that was something else.
Thanks man! I was there when we did the final planned crash landing to end the mission back in 2016 :)
Was a really special and historic moment. Also unique to see all the folks attending who had been working on the missions for most of their careers, now long since retired.
Cool! I can imagine a lot of people would have invested an enormous amount of their careers in that mission, and to see it come to fruition must have be amazing. was also glad Klim Churyumov got to see "his" comet before he passed away in 2016.
Yay! Thank you for showing your awesome sometimes workplace ^^ They have pretty epic "toys" there! Though my mind has never been super sciencey, all the space stuff has always pulled me like a magnet and I find it awesome what humans can create and come up with. Always admiring and cheering for advances scientists and engineers make.
I know!!! It's like being in heaven for a space or science geek :D
I agree, space is the final frontier not just for some but for all of mankind. It is a collective endeavor and will always be so. :)
Stop replying with this nonsense in top comments for attention.
Like promoting Bitconnect?
You knowingly promoted a scam that may have cost people money, thankfully no one reads your posts.
Do you have anything original or do you rely on YouTube crackpots to make all of your arguments for you?
I see you believe in economics as well
So why as an anarcho capitalist do you sign your post economist?
Hey bud, I think the thumbnail on your video speaks for your legitimacy.
Go back to school.
Yeah, what else would Earth be?
I bet when you see an insect flying around in a moving vehicle you think that's magic.
This must be one of those Russian bot accounts :(
Wow that is so cool! Are people allowed to enter ESTEC without any programs or discussions to attend to? I mean, just for visiting. Is it allowed?
If there's a Steem meetup happening there, I would loooove to join :D Plus, I have never been to Netherlands yet, so that's another reason!
No, you'll need to be going there for an occasion in order to enter. But there is 1 time per year when they do an open day for the public where anyone can enter :)
I'll have to look at it. Maybe in October.
I see. I hope I can get the chance to visit it one day :)
Cool stuff, man - the Space Station module is especially impressive. Is it an exact replica of the one that is in space? By the way, I can only imagine what other cool gadgets and laboratories they have - the ones that are not available to photograph :) Thanks for the tour!
Yes, it is the same as one of the modules. I don't know which one exactly though.
The really impressive stuff are further in :) I had a tour there late 2012 to see the research equipment and vacuum chambers used to test satellites and other technologies that would later be sent into space. Didn't have any pictures from back then sadly.
This was definitely an awesome experience. While reading, I felt like I was right there. I'd love to pay a visit and take awesome photos there someday God willing.
Glad you liked it!
That's just purely way too cool ! Thanks for sharing.
I love the fractal pattern of the mountains and things alike, :D I wonder if you could release some photos of stuff like that cause it is genuinely interesting (I enjoy geography).
I'm sure stuff like this would make quite addition to your collection and any other mathematical phenomena.
Definitely had to have been an extraordinary experience for you (envy, good). Many knowledge you have had to acquire in the place, I hope they are of benefit for your professional development.
In particular, I had always thought that in those types of research sites the photos were very "restricted" but as serene as you, I can notice that you are not difficult.
Regards…
by the way, you are very cute. ;)
Thanks ^^
They are restricted in the test facilities. I visited the research areas back in late 2012 when some friends I knew from the International Space University had a Young Graduate Trainee position there following our studies. It was really cool, but don't have any pictures from there :P
jajajajajajaja, is that I already said, it must be complicated to take pictures in places like that, your experience is very good, it shows on your face !!!
great pictures Fredrikaa! That BIOPAN is a very interesting exhibit display!
Indeed! It's cool to stand next to something that was once flying in orbit around the Earth :)
It's incredible to know how many scientists around the world used the data obtained from the missions for many, many years after it finished its mission. Truly a good example of space helping push the boundaries of knowledge :)
Please get some pictures of some of the Esa! Have you met many cosmo+astronauts ?
Over the ~6 years I've been engaged with space-stuff (since going to the International Space University in 2012) I've met around 20 astronauts. Most recently was with Thomas Pesquet (although he didn't have the time to stop for a photo) when he visited our workplace before Christmas. I did a post about it here earlier.
Oh boy
Shit at this rate maybe i'll make a steemit post from the moon base ;) remote viewing @fredrikka right now say hi 🤑
Did the BIOPAN capsule literally just float around? What type of experiments did it perform?
I didn't know to much about it either as the program started when I was still a toddler and ended when I was just finding out what girls were.
I believe it was launched with the Soyuz and attached as one piece of the front payload as shown in the illustration below.
There were 6 different missions that carried out different experiments. My knowledge is no better than the one you'll find looking it up yourself. After all, this is an era before me :P
I didn't know if they had more information directly with the display. It 100% looks old school.
Except that I am not lying. I have been part of more satellite and cargo launches than I can count. Every time, I can watch the launch, see the trajectory and direction of the launcher, observe the speed of the launch vehicle and its geo-position, and observe how it connects to different ground stations around the world as it travels. You see, we have different ground stations scattered from close to the North pole at Svalbard, down to the south pole as well as all along the equator in order to have a continuous link with the launch vehicles during launch and the deployed satellites.
These are just the ground stations operated by the Norwegian company KSAT
I can then see how the signal is received at one ground stations as the vehicle gets within a certain range of it, and how it then later disappears after it has passed by, only to reappear after it has travelled the distance equivalent to an orbit. You can even do the math once you know both the altitude of the vehicle, and the distance at which it received a link to a given ground station, to calculate the curvature.
This is undeniable proof of a round earth. How else could you fire a rocket in one direction and have it reappear over your head without it ever changing directions? How else would you explain why we need ground stations all around the world, and how they receive signals from a launched vehicle in the exact order, and at the exact times, you would predict based on assuming that the Earth is round and has a diameter and curvature that our models suggest? You can’t.
I can only suggest that you spend more time reading and educating yourself and less time watching conspiracy theories on YouTube.
You won't see curvature when you just look straight forward at the horizon. The only evidence of curvature in that footage is the fact that you can see further and further the higher you get. If you want to see curvature "to the sides", you'll need to look down at the Earth to get some form of angle.
A student team in Norway sent a balloon to the same altitude and took this footage
https://www.facebook.com/kogstarburst/videos/1496581273718019/
There you can clearly see the curve :)
But it doesn't matter. We already have plenty of images where you can see curvature. Like this one taken by SpaceX
But I just told you that we launched it in just one direction and that we can observe with the sensors onboard that it goes in a straight line... When we send rockets into geosynchronous orbit, it travels along the equator and only to the west, never making any turns, and still comes back.
You also need to explain why it obtains a higher speed when you launch it to the west along the equator than if you launch it to the East. Which is why all launch pads for launches to that orbit are kept close to the equator (like KSC in Florida for American launches, or Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana for European Launches).
I want a huge scale model of the ISS hanging in my house
Your ceiling would have to be quite high to facilitate that! But I'm sure it could be done ;)
I guess you probably need to change the house first :D
I long for such a great tour since Grade 6 but I know this will be achieve soon. Thanks for sharing this great tour of you buddy. It gives me an insight.
You're welcome!
Yeah the place is really cool. It's been about 5 years since I got to actually go a bit further into the test facilities. That's where the real business goes down ;)
Hope you'll get the opportunity soon!
I have already envision myself being there hehe. I will strive for it!
This is where we should organize the steemstem meetup #2 :D
My thoughts exactly! I'll see what I can do ;)
I am looking forward to it :)
That is some of "the cool stuff" for sure. I doubt they would let me use the rovers, but I kinda want to get an RC truck and drive it around the rover testing grounds. Could make a video of it and tell my family that I got to control and RC truck on Mars. Ha ha
Hehe, well if you want to drive in the sand you better learn some programming ^^
Mostly, though, people don't drive in it but instead program the rover, such as the one seen on the left-hand-side of the image, to try and leave the platform representing the lander and then carry out a few tests or drive a bit around autonomously.
I'm just going to buy an RC truck and when they start driving their rover, I'll race them. It's probable that I would accidentally run into the rover though. Being a space expert, do you think I need to have insurance on the RC? If so, how much coverage would you suggest? :D
Some thing different dear thanks for sharing hope you will share more I follow you keep it up
So very cool ! I hope I'll get to work there one day :D
I think you might :)
Cool images! I really like that Mars landing capsule.
Just curious, what did you study to get the job you have now?
looks like a cool place, but just to think that NASA has over triple the budget of the Europen Space Agency. And NASA only represents one country while ESA represents all of europe, so surreal.
That is true, however, most European countries participating in ESA also have their own national space programs. So when you add it all together, the differences are not that large.
Hi, I found some acronyms/abbreviations in this post. This is how they expand:
I tried to use less acronyms this time :D
Nice one friend.Love to be there
Thanks!
Well, they usually have a day each year where they are open to the public. So you could get the chance someday :)
Thank you friend........post it here on steemit when is gonna be open to the pubilc
Come over in October and I may perhaps take you on a tour! :)
Deal! Can I bring company ?
Sure! But I will have to see how the next open day event is arranged :)
Ow, I would really like to tag along on the next Open Day. Looks very interesting.
Hope you can bring back some useful info from this journey, and please let us know if you see any aliens are if they creating any black holes over their, all the best resteemed
good post thank you for sharing @fredrikaa
Man, i can even begin with all that awesomess...
Go ESTEC!
Wow. This is an amazing work place. Thank you for sharing great pics and introducing us with space technology. i would love to go there some time when it will be open for public. @fredrikaa
My God, it must be a great feeling to be there.
I write astronomy and technology writings on my profile. For now I am only writing in Turkish, but in the future I will also translate my texts into English. If you support me, you will make me happy. :)
Quite fitting that the last 5 places on the European Space Agency sign would be located in space (apparently).
We have a gym and shop in orbot, ofc ;)
And the parking is for our spaceships so they will be going up eventually ^^
Excellent information, because it gives us knowledge and enriches us as a person, due to the concern to know about these types of topics.
You know what's fake. Forget space being fake, forget the earth being flat. The real conspiracy that you shouldn't believe is that the moon is round.
THE MOON IS FLAT!!!!!!!
Don't believe anything that anyone tells you. The moon is flat.
How do I know? Because you only ever see one side of the moon. If the moon was round you'd see all of it. But you don't. So see, it's a flat moon.
Don't be a cheese head round moon believer.